Asymptotic analysis and finite element calculation of a rubber wedge undertension

In this paper, two kinds of elastic laws given by Knowles and Sternberg in 1973, and Gao in 1997 for rubber-like materials are used to investigate the problem of a rubber wedge tensioned by a line load at its tip. It was trea ted as a plane strain case, and large deformation was taken into account. A symptotic solutions to the stress-strain field near the wedge tip are obtai ned and compared for different elastic laws. By means of the finite element method, the stress-strain fields fbr the two kinds of elastic laws are cal culated, and the results are consistent well with those of the theoretical analysis.